Ottawa, Ontario is the place that I grew up and although I have lived in other provinces and now Ithaca, Ottawa will always be the place that I call home. I grew up in a rural place just outside the city but my connection with the city of Ottawa and the people in it has grown strong over the years. The city was the place that my friends and I would spend our time doing fun things like museums, skating on the canal, concerts or even just touring around. I lived not far outside the city but when we would spend our days and nights downtown I found myself feeling like somewhat of a tourist in my own city.
The small town that i live in is called Almonte, over the years Almonte has picked up the slogan "The Friendly Town" and for good reason. Almonte is a beautiful small town that presents an aura of calmness, friendliness and warmth. The friendliness and warmth comes from the small community feeling that the town has. There is always activities happening at the civitan hall, constant community events happening at the royal legion and a normal flow of people walking through the nature park that is the mill of kintal. Almonte is actually known to be the pristine tourist spot for people that want to get away from the city which is funny because the city was the tourist destination for my friends and I. Mill Street in downtown Almonte is a historic street surrounded by waterfalls, restaurants and small local businesses that make the town run.
For my friends and I, Ottawa was our getaway in to the big city and instead of the quiet and small town feeling that Almonte has, it was an eye opener and i was able to experience the fast paced and busy life in the city. Ottawa may not be known for a tourist destination but there are plenty of things to do and visit while in the city. There are countless museums that portray the history of Ottawa, the rideaul canal is a 14 kilometer stretch of man-made waterway running through Ottawa that freezes over in the winter and is a top attraction for ice skating for the people of Ottawa and lastly the Parliament buildings downtown are a big attraction. The city has a feel of busyness and almost mania that can be exciting for a short period of time but it is not for the faint of heart.
I enjoy my time in the city but at the end of the day, my heart lies in the slow moving town that is Almonte. There is always excitement and craziness in the city because it is so busy, there are parts of the city that can be dirty, dangerous and scary but i cant think of one place in Almonte that i would use those words to describe. Almonte is where i grew up and spent my childhood and i loved every minute of it. Ottawa has opened my eyes to the crazy and exciting world that is out there, although it can be stressful, I love the city of Ottawa and i will always feel proud and privileged to call it my home.